Pointing the Finger at Saddam OR A Case of the Pot Calling the Kettle Black!

Pointing the Finger at Saddam ORA Case of the Pot Calling the Kettle Black!

March 19, 2003 -- For some time the American people have been confronted with the rationale as to why war with Iraq is not only justified but a necessity.

President Bush on St. Patrick's Day evening again pointed out how cruel and inhumane Saddam and his regime are, and how the Iraqi people have been the innocent victims of that regime for a number of years.

A rather lengthy list has been documented over the years providing graphic evidence that Saddam and his cohorts have been guilty of unjust executions (often held publicly), brutality and torture, and public mutilations such as cutting off hands and ears! A close up in a news report on March 18, 2003 showed a man who had his ear cut off some time ago by Saddam's henchmen -- a public example and warning to others from Saddam and his administration.

Saddam's government has also been guilty, so we're told, of harboring and supporting terrorists.

So the United States' case against Iraq has been laid out before the whole world. However, there are nations that are either refusing or are quite reluctant to go along for the ride into Iraq and "liberate" the citizens of that country. Make no mistake -- to use a favorite term of the president -- the United States will oust Saddam and his partners in crime even if we have to go it alone.

But wait a minute -- even as our collective finger is pointed at Saddam via President Bush telling Saddam what an evil, horrible man he is and what atrocious things he has done to his people, there is a haunting reminder of a classic statement sometimes employed in U. S. culture -- it's sort of like a darkening cloud hanging over the entire country -- we've got a very embarrassing situation where the "pot is calling the kettle black!"

You ask, "But how can that be? We are a nation of freedom and desire that all nations have the liberties and privileges we enjoy." Really it's very simple, but the vast majority in our society, including the president, refuse to fact the bitter reality of this issue.

For decades now we have been guilty of our own unique brand of mutilation and murder on a mass systematic basis within our own borders. "Terrorists" of another kind are involved in this activity!

Take a look at some examples of persons who were victims of mutilation and murder in the "civilized" United States which far exceeds Saddam's brand in Iraq!

Well now -- the above makes the guy with the cut off ear look rather meek and mild,
when you do a little comparing, wouldn't you say? But let's also talk numbers in this
matter -- what we've got is a small kettle and a great big pot involved in this finger
pointing/name calling incident. Uh, you would agree, would you not, that activity which
results in what you have witnessed above does qualify as "atrocities?"

What is the number of "victims" under Saddam's tyrannical rule? That is probably
impossible to calculate. The population of Iraq was estimated to be 24,001,816 as of
July 2002. But one thing we can be absolutely sure of -- Saddam's victims don't begin to
approach 44 million in number -- he'd have his whole population wiped out and still be
over 20 million short of the bloody track record compiled by the United States since 1973!
Even the victims of the Chinese Communist revolution only totaled somewhere in the
30 million range.

So take a look at the latest tally of United States' sanctioned practices of ongoing
mutilation and murder:

Remember, even if Saddam were left alone and remained in power until he died, he would never match our record for mutilating and murdering innocent victims!

Are we so na´ve or stupid -- or maybe it's a mixture of both, that we believe that
the God Whom we as a nation claim to "trust" and be "under" is looking the other way, or
is not the least bit concerned that we have willfully destroyed over 44 million unborn children -- children for whom He had a wonderful plan and purpose?

And we have the gall to point the finger at Saddam H. and say, "You are an evil man and you need to leave your country!"

It's more than a little discomforting when you think of that old saying about the pot and the kettle, is it not -- that is, if we are willing to be brutally honest with ourselves.

President Bush has clearly outlined what our response will be to Saddam if he refuses to step down and leave the country. The tragedy in all this is that the president and we citizens of the U.S. are not at all seriously considering what God's response is going to be to our ongoing practice of mutilation and murder of over a million persons per year!

Oh, you object and say that these aren't "persons" -- they are just "fetuses" -- unhuh -- have you had a long and serious talk with your Creator about that matter -- and more important, are you listening to what He has to say concerning His view and identity of the unborn? A hint here -- the word "fetus" is not in His dictionary -- that's a word we stupid humans have come up with!

It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void. Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.

Psalm 119:126-128 NKJV

Originally written on March 19, 2003
Abortion numbers in text have been updated since then.
Clayton D. Harriger
Elder in Full Connection
Western PA Annual Conference
The United Methodist Church
and presently pastor of
Gipsy Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Gipsy, PA

For comments, complaints, or just plain axe-grinding, contact C. D. Harriger by clicking on Penelope, efficient mail hostess of Circuit Rider's Range, and she will set up the email form for you to fill out and send on its way

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